Basic Basil"s corner

Since every man and his bike seems to have they're own thread, I've decided to start one as well. I've been polluting other people's threads with my little problems for long enough, so this can be my little worry corner on the web.

The bike is a 1996 R80GS Basic. I am the third owner, but Basil used to hire out his services to tourists in his younger years, before I got hold of him. He is stuffed now, of course. Instead of going sight seeing, he usually wears a pair of knobbies and get's thrashed around hard-to-get-to places. Having a clumsy rider as an owner doesn't really help. But the pain I've inflicted on poor Basil as a clumsy mechanic is probably worse.

Here he is, before I got hold of him, about 6 or 7 years ago.

I had visions of turning him into this:

but that's not going to happen.

Basil in the SI with his previous owner.

There is now way, that he'll ever need to worry about this white stuff again, not with me, anyway.

Here he is meeting his stable mate.

We went for a few rides over the years.

Then I started to work on him myself.

He got a new 24 litre tank, that made him look quite smart.

Basil had clunky universals and also needed a new clutch.

I got to do this job twice . He also had the carbs overhauled, as his fuel consumption had deteriorated beyond what I could stand.

We went for some more rides.

There might be the odd photo of him having a rest, but I've had plenty of practice picking him up quickly .

Here he is trying on a PD tank. It was tempting to keep it.

Basil went from Napier to Waimauku on one tank, with a bit left over.

unfortunately, he got distracted around a right-hander and needed to lay down. The valve covers didn't appreciate it.

The PD tank looks great and gives you a huge range, but I found it restricted my leg room and increased the risk of denting it. Even worse, some poor G/S would have been without the PD part.

Since the PD had left on a tour of NZ, I've been able to give Basil a bit more attention.

He got some Nissin brakes and SS brake lines.

and just recently I have fitted HH-Racetech cartridges. You probably know about this, since by now I've just about told every one.

Currently I am working towards achieving this look.

It's slowy getting there, the bits are expensive.

Well, that's pretty much it.

While Basil is not as famous as Schmidty or Gus, he is still pure bred and not a mongrel, like the other two

But I am doing my best.

So, this will be the place where I can ask stupid questions and where you can admire my mechanical skills and I can't hear you laughing.

Boring question but what are you getting mileagewise? I have just been looking at mine & I get around 16 - 17km/L.

It will be interesting riding it at the DB & comparing the forks

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6 litres to 100km, so pretty much the same. I think that's as good as it gets with knobbies and a bit of wheel spin . You can ride Basil if you like, but if you think that the forks are shite, I don't want to hear about it.

Piss off jap rider - we don't like your kind around here.
So they came with a ST tank? And you changed it to one like Schmidts? I really like the original ST tanks on them.

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The original tank sits on a shelf in the garage. I like the extra range of the larger tank. It's a pretty simple swap. It also makes the bike look a bit beefier.

I need to modify the rack I have for my single seat. The seat also needs to be upholstered. I have bought a seat pan and a foam blank. The rack interferes with a cross member on the subframe. I need to get the tubing flattened on where it crosses over, so that the seat pan can sit on the subframe properly. Then I need to find an upholsterer who is sympathetic to my needs and doesn't mind using a rivet gun.

I might also cave in and buy one of those wind-shields. On longer trips, it will take a little of the wind pressure and make the ride less tiring. I prefer the look with out a shield.

I also have a side stand sitting here that needs to be modified. I want to get rid of the engine guards. They keep smacking into the valve cover. I still think that a piece of knead-it epoxy will help out in a pinch. I also still have a spare cover sitting at home. The one I recently put on has battle scars already. I am still going to have to have another crack up that drive, now that my knee and right thumb no longer hurt.

These pegs together with the 25mm handle bar risers were the biggest bang for buck I purchased.

It transforms the ergonomics, unless you are a dwarf, then you should leave it stock, Eagle eyes will notice how I've shortened the break lever and made up a knurled shifter to replace the cut off piece. You need to do that, to compensate for the more forward position of the foot pegs.

Basil had been wearing Kenda 760 for a while. Mainly because they are dirt chip and that appealed to me somehow.

They do a pretty good job off-road. On the road or hard packed gravel, not so much. The front has been trying to tuck under a few time, on the Waikaramoana Road it finally succeeded.

I've fitted TKC80 for the first time, on Basil that is. They are awesome tires. The vibrations are gone and they stick to the road like brown stuff to a blanket. At 2.5 times of the price of the Kenda they should, too and walk on water.

But hey, Basil is my hobby. The R1150GS is my transport. I only went 16km like that, across the harbour bridge, maybe not the smartest thing I've done .

I have this side stand. Apparently it is meant to attach where the engine guard usually attaches to, the forward engine mount. I can't quite figure out how that L-bracket is supposed to work. It might be better to attach it to the rear engine mount. But I am not all that comfortable having the side stand parallel to my spokes.

Yes, it still needs to be cut to size and have the baseplate welded on.